Arz Ehmej - Wadi Hafroun - Qornet Namroud - Qornet el Aliyé - Wadi el Jouwar (Jaj)

I start by mentioning that this trail is very difficult and reserved only for experienced hikers who are well-trained physically and mentally! It is a very beautiful yet challenging hike. The weather was rainy making this challenging trail even more difficult. DO NOT OVERESTIMATE YOUR LEVEL. YOU MAY BE PHYSICALLY FIT BUT THIS TRAIL IS MORE TECHNICAL THAN PHYSICALLY DEMANDING. We started from "Arz Ehmej camping" after a delicious "saj" breakfast. Following Ehmej-Laklouk LMT side trail signs, we went through the camping botanical garden before reaching Ehmej-Laklouk main road. A short road walk will lead you to the start of Wadi Hafroun. The ascent is pleasant and you will soon reach a kind of large plateau: Sahlit Hafroun. From there, you can clearly see Qornet Hafroun to your right. After crossing the plateau, we left the LMT side trail (that continues up right) and continued straight towards the "col" facing us. The descent from there is steep and slippery leading to a small "plateau". Another ascent starts slowly from there till "El Moghr" area where you can spot many caves in the mountain called El Zagh mountain (جبل الزاغ). Qornet Hafroun And Qornet Namroud are parts of this tough mountain chain. Walk on the hills leading to the base Qornet Namroud. It is time to attach your poles on your backpack. Don't try to use your poles from now on, they can be very dangerous if caught between rocks. Some rocks are unstable and it is advisable to use your hands when needed. The ascent is technical and you have to find the best way to reach Namroud. You will see all surrounding mountains on a clear day (from Makmal mountain to Sannine), Batroun and the lebanese coast. The serious part of the walk starts from here. The terrain is not friendly , with sharp rocks and unstable stones. Watch your steps carefully and find your way. Use your hands frequently for better grip and balance. A metallic triangular frame and a geodesic point are found at the top of Qornet el Aliyé. Have some rest here and enjoy the sceneries before starting a difficult descent to "Jouwar valley" of Jaj. This valley is beautiful and majestic rock formations are stunning. A clear trail is found here with metallic frames protecting "baby" cedars and an irrigation system let you find the trail more easily. Unfortunately most of the baby trees are either wilted or been eaten by goats. Continue your way in the valley till you reach a kind of dead-end with huge rock formations. Go back few meters and go up left. This ascent is very difficult and will lead you to another summit of El Zagh mountain. The descent from the summit is very tough and slippery. Go very slowly and choose your moves wisely. Our hike was exploratory and now I recommend that you skip this summit part and stay lower in the valley, avoiding this risky descent. Now it's time to breathe! The ascent is less technical and we reached a beautiful tree where we had our lunch. The descent towards "Sahlit Hafroun" is steep and difficult. Tired knees can make problems here! After reaching the plateau, the rest of the walk is a kind of cool down for the body and mind after your high blood levels of adrenaline and cortisol! Keep hiking but stay safe. Do not hesitate to contact me for more info if you would like to do this hike. Special thanks to my friend Samira Matta (70399173) who is a certified local LMT guide at Ehmej. She didn't participate in this hike but gave me valuable info after the hike. I strongly recommend that you contact her if you want a professional guiding in beautiful Ehmej area. Keep hiking but stay safe!